Vulcanized fiber shell for a roving can



April 7, 1970 H. R. PANcoAsT 3,504,710

VULCANIZED FIBER SHELL FOR A ROVING CAN Filed Oct. l, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet l L I 'O 1 f, 22 F/'g/ Fig? Ef 24 22 lo :i: 'i" ff. l

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INVENTOR.

HARRY R. PANCOAST ATTORNEY April 7, 1970 H. R. PANcoAsT VULCANIZED FIBER SHELL FOR A ROVING CAN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 56 Filed Oct. l. 1968 INVENTOR. HARRY R. PANCOAST BY ATTORNEY United States Patent O VULCANIZED FIBER SHELL FOR A ROVING CAN Harry R. Pancoast, Wilmington, Del., assignor to The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Oct. 1, 1968, Ser. No. 764,244 Int. Cl. F16i 9/10 U.S. Cl. 138--170 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sheet for providing a cylindrical shell for a roving can includes a pair of ends having complementary tapered portions disposed to interlock with each other when the ends are joined. Each of the ends may include tapered portions disposed in different planes with respect to other tapered portions.

Roving cans are well known in the textile industries. Generally, it is important that the interior of such cans be extremely smooth to permit the snag-free flow of sliver and rovings. Many such roving cans are made of vulcanized fiber. When the size of the roving cans involved is relatively small, i.e. up to 24 inches, for example, seamless cans are generally provided. Sheets of fiber are generally wound about a mandrel of the appropriate size to produce the roving can.

However, when it is desired to make roving cans beyond a certain size, the use of mandrels sometimes becomes impractical. In this case, sheets of predetermined sizes are provided with the ends of the sheets adapted to be joined together to form a cylindrical member. Sometimes, the ends of the can are overlapped and riveted together. However, this arrangement results in an obstruction which tends to interfere with the ilow of the sliver and rovings.

When the free ends of a sheet are to be joined to form a shell, the question of alignment is present. Regarding the circumferential alignment of the ends of the sheet, a stepped butt arrangement may be employed, such as the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 3 of Patent 3,298,589, issued to W. D. Angstadt on Ian. 17, 1967. While the arrangement illustrated in this patent is satisfactory in most respects, it is sometimes desirable to provide additional means to assure axial or vertical alignment of the ends of the sheet as well as to provide additional strength at the same time when downward pressure is exerted against the roving can.

It is an object of this invention to provide improved means for producing a seamless container.

It is a further object of this invention to provide irnproved means for joining the ends of a sheet to form a cylindrical shell wherein accurate vertical alignment of the ends of the sheet is achieved.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide an improved joint for a cylindrical container having increased resistance to axial pressure.

In accordance with the present invention, a flat flexible sheet is adapted to have two of its ends joined together to form a cylindrical member. Both ends of the sheet include tapered portions disposed in dilerent planes. The tapered portions of one end are complementary with the tapered portions in the other end and are adapted to be joined in an interlocking relationship.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent and suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, from a reading of the following specication and claims, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a cylindrical shell for a roving can 3,504,710 Patented Apr. 7, 1970 "ice prior to the joining of the ends thereof in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the portion 2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional View taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional View taken along line 4-4 of IFIG. 2;

FIG. 5 illustrates a section of a cylindrical shell prior to joining the ends thereof illustrating another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6 6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a section of a cylindrical shell for a roving can of still another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of IFIG. 7, and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 9 9 of FIG. 7.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1, .2, 3 and 4, a flat sheet of liber material 10 includes tapered ends 12 and 14, which'are adapted to be joined together in an interlocking relationship to form a shell which may be used for a roving can, for example. The end 12 includes a plurality of tapered portions 16 and 18. The tapered portions 16 and 18 are alternately arranged having their tapered portions in different planes with respect to each other. The angle of the tapers are also different, as may be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The end 12 also includes cutout area 20.

The end 14 also includes a plurality of tapered portions 22 and 24. The tapered portions 22 and 24 are disposed in different planes with respect to each other and include angles of diiferent tapers, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The tapered portions 16 and 18 are complementary with respect to the tapered portions 22 and 24, respectively. Consequently, when the ends 12 and 14 are joined, the surfaces of the tapered portions 16 will contact the surface of the tapered portions 22. Likewise, the surfaces of the tapered portions 18 will contact the surfaces of the tapered portions 24.

The ends of the cylindrical member may be suitably joined by a suitable adhesive. Because of the complementary relationship between the tapers at the ends of the sheet 10, a relatively smooth surface is provided in the nal joint formed. After the ends have been suitably glued together, the interior of the can may be suitably finished with a lacquer or a varnish.

When the ends of the sheet are joined together, downward pressure exerted on the shell will not tend to separate the ends of the sheet by shear action. This is because the interlocking relationship between the tapered portions resist any downward pressure which tends to sever the joint of the shell.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 5 and 6, the ends of the shell may involve a slightly different tapered arrangement. In this embodiment, the angle of all the tapered portions are substantially the same. However the alternate tapered portions are offset with respect to each other.

The tapered portions 26 and 28 are substantially the same in angle but are offset with respect to each other. Likewise, the tapered portions 30 and 32 are of the same angle and offset with respect to each other in the manner illustrated. Both ends of the cylindrical member include cut-out portions 34 and 36.

When the ends are joined, the tapered portions 30 engage the tapered portions 26 and the tapered portions 32 engage the tapered portions 28. The open areas 34 and 36 provide a finger-like arrangement when the tapered portions are joined together. The ends of the member are joined together in an interlocking relationship. Adhesive or other suitable means may be used to join the ends together. Once the ends are joined, as previously mentioned, any downward pressure on the cylindrical shell will be resisted because of the interlocking arrangement ernployed.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. In this embodiment, the ends 38 and 40 are substantially straight and do not include any cut-away portions. Tapered portions 42 and 44 are disposed in dilferent planes and are angularly disposed at different angles with respect to each other, in a manner illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. Likewise the end of shell 40 includes tapered portions 46 and 48, which are also disposed in diierent planes with respect to each other and are drawn at diiferent angles.

The tapered portions 44 and 48 include step or butt portions 50 and 52, respectively. This arrangement makes it possible to attain circumferential alignment of the ends of the sheet. Thus the arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 provides alignment in two directions, circumferentally and vertically.

What is claimed is:

1. A vulcanized ber sheet for making a shell for a roving can comprising a flat sheet adapted to be joined at two ends, said ends having complementary tapered portions adapted to be joined together to provide a smooth seam, each of said ends of said sheets including a plurality of tapered portions with some of said tapered portions being disposed in different planes than others.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of tapered portions include tapered portions which alternately include one of two different tapered portions.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 2 wherein said two different tapered portions have different angles of taper with respect to said at sheet.

`4. The invention as set forth in claim 3 wherein one of said two tapered portions adjoin stepped portions inwardly disposed away from the ends of said sheet.

5. The invention as set forth in claim 2 wherein said two dierent tapered portions have substantially the same angle of taper with respect to said at sheet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS HENRY S. IAUDON, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 220-76; 229-55 

